This homemade pizza crust recipe is easy to make and guaranteed to elevate your pizza game to new heights! Each batch makes four medium size pizzas that can easily be frozen, making it so easy to have great homemade pizza any night of the week without the price tag of a fancy pizzeria.
What type of flour works best for this homemade pizza crust recipe?
Though this recipe can be made with all-purpose flour, I highly recommend using bread or pizza flour due to the higher gluten content. There are several reasons why you’ll want to do this…
- Protein Content: High-gluten flour has more protein (usually 12-14%) than all-purpose or low-gluten flours. When hydrated and kneaded, this protein forms a stronger gluten network which helps the dough maintain its shape, stretch without tearing, and create the characteristic chewy texture of pizza crust.
- Elasticity: High-gluten flour provides the elasticity needed for shaping the dough into a thin crust or hand-tossing it without ripping.
- Chewy Texture: The robust gluten network results in a chewier bite, which is ideal for pizzas with a hearty, satisfying crust.
- Crisp Exterior: High-gluten doughs bake with a beautifully crisp exterior while retaining a soft, tender interior. This is perfect for achieving the balance of crunch and chewiness in a pizza crust.
- Holds Heavier Toppings: A stronger dough made from high-gluten flour can support heavier toppings without becoming soggy or collapsing.
Can I make a batch of pizza dough to freeze and use later?
Absolutely! This recipe was created specifically to make several, freezable batches. Just keep a few things in mind…
- Freeze After the First Rise: Allow the dough to rise once after kneading, then freeze. This way, it’s ready to use after thawing.
- Oil the Dough: Lightly coat the dough balls with olive oil to prevent them from drying out or sticking.
- Use Airtight Packaging: Place the dough balls in individual freezer bags or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, then seal them in a larger container or bag for extra protection.
- Label with Date: Write the freezing date on the packaging so you know how long it’s been frozen. Pizza dough can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Beyond this, the quality may start to decline.
- Thawing the Dough: Place the frozen dough in the fridge for 8-12 hours (overnight) to thaw slowly. This helps preserve the texture.
- Before Using the Dough: Bring the dough to room temperature for about 30 minutes to 1 hour after thawing. This will make it easier to stretch and shape.
The Easiest Pizza Crust
Learn how to make the perfect pizza crust with this easy, foolproof recipe! Soft, chewy, and full of flavor, it's perfect for homemade pizzas. Step-by-step instructions included!
Equipment
- Stand mixer (optional)
Ingredients
- 2 packages quick-rise yeast (2 ¼ tsp. each)
- 2 cups warm water (115℉)
- 1 tsp. white sugar
- 5 cups bread flour
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tsp. salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine yeast, warm water, and sugar. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes to ensure yeast activates. The mixture should be foamy.
- Add bread four, salt, and olive oil. Stir using a wooden spoon until combined. At this point, you can either use a stand mixer with an attached dough hook to knead on medium-low speed for 10 minutes, or knead by hand until dough looks smooth.
- Once kneaded, place in a bowl covered with plastic wrap and place in a warm area to let rise for about 30 minutes. The dough should double in size. (In an oven with just the light on works great for this step…just don't actually turn the oven on!)
- Use fingers to pull dough from the sides of bowl. The dough should be very webby. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. Divide evenly into four pieces. Shape each of the four pieces into a ball.
- You can now either roll out and bake your dough or freeze.
To Bake:
- Preheat the oven to 500℉. Roll dough ball onto lightly-floured surface to about a 13-inch circle. Place in pizza pan or on a baking stone. Use a fork to poke several holes in dough to avoid air bubbles when baking. Top with your favorite pizza sauce and toppings. Bake each pizza for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted.
To Freeze:
- Lightly coat with olive oil and cover each ball of dough with plastic wrap or parchment paper. If freezing multiples, flash freeze each ball separately for about 30 minutes before placing into freezer bag.
